Why Do Muslims Not Depict the Face of Mohammad in His Pictures?

[Shri Anil Antony asked:- Muslims do not depict the face of Mohammad in His pictures. What is the reason?]

Swami replied:- Idol worship is condemned by both Christianity and Islam because God does not exist in idols. This point is also told in Hinduism (Na tasya pratimā asti). But still, Hindus worship idols. Actually, God comes in human form to guide humanity. But, due to ego-based jealousy towards a greater human being, people neglect the human incarnation. Another economical point is that if you offer food to an idol, it will not eat and you can eat it entirely, claiming that you have served food to God. Neither the idol is God nor God lives in the Idol. It is only a representative model that can be worshipped like saluting the national flag, which represents the nation. Worshipping idol gives an easy way of concentration on God. If God is taken as formless, the concentration and worship are very difficult. Christians put the statue of Jesus on the cross in the chains worn by them. Even in church, the idol of Jesus exists on the cross.

Muslims also worship a wall, which is some materialized item that is kept as the representative model of God. Actually, the wall indicates the boundary of the universe. Beyond that boundary, unimaginable-unmediated (formless) God exists. The idea here is that if the devotee crosses the wall, the devotee cannot concentrate on the unmediated-unimaginable God. When you are 60 years old, you still enjoy looking through your wedding album. Neither you exist in the album nor you are the direct photo in the album. But, seeing the album, you are inspired with the emotions of love. Similarly, one can develop devotion, which is nothing but love for God. It is helping you to increase your devotion to God. There is nothing wrong in it. When Swami Vivekananda goes to the palace of a king, who does not accept idol worship, Vivekananda spits on the photo of the king. The king becomes very angry. Then, Vivekananda says that the photo is neither the king nor the king exists in the photo. He further explains that the photo is only a piece of paper, glass and wooden frame. The king understands the philosophy and becomes a disciple of Vivekananda. But still, the unfortunate affair is that these people, hearing all this, do not change. Perhaps, they will change on hearing this knowledge when they also become kings!

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